Rosetta Stone alternatives
Pick by what Rosetta Stone isn't giving you: the grammar explained in English (Babbel, $107.40 a year), a lower price or a free plan (Busuu's free account has the whole course), speaking by ear (Pimsleur), a person to talk to (Preply or italki), or a course you pay for once (Rocket Languages or Michel Thomas).
Prices checked 6 Sept to 14 Oct 2026 · How we check
What's missing for you?
The grammar explained
Start with Babbel
$107.40 a year for all 14 languages, or $17.99 month to month
Each rule is explained in English as you meet it, inside short dialogues.
Add Busuu
Free, with limits
Its free account has the complete course, with corrections from native speakers.
Or LingoDeer, a grammar-led course with alphabet units for Japanese and Korean.
A lower price, or free
Start with Busuu
$72.99 a year for all 14 languages
The free account has the complete course in each of its 14 languages; Premium adds review tools and offline mode.
Or Mango Languages, free through many public libraries.
Speaking by ear
Start with Pimsleur
$149.95 a year for one language, or $19.95 month to month
Half-hour audio lessons make you answer aloud, on a commute or a walk.
Add Speak
$83.99 a year for all 6 languages, or $17.99 month to month
Talk out loud with an AI tutor that answers and corrects what you said.
Or Glossika, sentence drills by ear in more than 60 languages.
A person to talk to
Start with Preply
Set by each tutor: $3 to $50 a lesson on Preply's English tutor listing (checked 6 Sept 2026). At Preply's own averages, from $10 a 50-minute lesson in Arabic to $22 in Italian, one lesson a week is about $520 to $1,144 a year
Book a tutor for the conversation you need, and see each tutor's price before you book.
Or italki, which starts with a discounted trial lesson.
Paying once
Start with Rocket Languages
$149.95 once
Each level is paid once and yours to keep: audio lessons built on conversations, with voice-recognition drills.
From $11.99
Audio courses paid once, from a short Start course to the full set for one language.
Or Babbel's Lifetime plan, one payment for all its languages.
Why people move on from Rosetta Stone:
- Lessons use no translation at all, so the grammar is never explained in English.
- There is no free plan to keep using: after a one-time 7-day trial in the app, it is a subscription.
Our picks
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Best if you want the grammar explained
Busuu
Course app
$72.99 a year$6.08 a month, billed yearly · Premium
Why it's here. A structured course gives you a path through lessons, with corrections from native speakers. You can start with a free account before deciding whether the paid extras are useful.
Free: Free account with the complete course in each language, community feedback and basic progress tracking.
Skip it if you want live conversation with a person; Busuu has no live lessons.
14 languages · offline lessons
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Best for speaking practice without a person
Pimsleur
Audio course
$149.95 a year$12.50 a month, billed yearly · Premium
Why it's here. Half-hour audio lessons get you answering aloud, which suits a commute or a walk. Download lessons before you leave and you can practise without a connection.
Free: No free tier; 7-day free trial on subscriptions.
Skip it if you want to read and write, or want something free: it is audio first, with a 7-day trial.
51 languages · offline lessons
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Best if you want a real person to talk to
italki
Tutor marketplace
$4 to $10 a lessontypical for 30 minutes in English, French and Spanish; each teacher sets a rate
Why it's here. Choose a teacher for the language and conversation you need, then pay lesson by lesson. You get a real person to practise with without committing to an app subscription.
Free: No free tier; discounted trial lesson with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee.
Skip it if you want one fixed price or an app to study alone: each teacher sets their own rate.
104 languages
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Best free account attached to a real course
Duolingo
Course app
FreeEvery course, with ads and daily limits.
Why it's here. Short, game-like lessons make it easy to practise a little every day. You can follow the whole course free, with ads and limits.
Paid upgrade: Super removes the ads and limits: $9.99 to $119.99 in Apple's US App Store, depending on the plan, after a 1-week free trial.
Skip it if you want a person to talk to: Duolingo has no tutors, and Max's Video Call is an AI character.
40 languages · offline lessons
51 of the 52 apps we cover are alternatives to Rosetta Stone.
Rosetta Stone teaches with pictures and audio and no translation, and scores your pronunciation; a year is $159 a year for all 25 of its languages. If that method suits you and the price does not, the course apps below cost less. If the method is the problem, the answer is a different kind of app, not a cheaper copy.
Every alternative, compared
Recommended first within each type of app. Sort any column or filter by what matters to you.
No apps match these filters. Clear a filter to see more choices.
| Best for | Free tier | Speech | Tutor | Offline | CEFR | Refund or trial | Where to buy | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course apps | ||||||||||||
| DuolingoCourse appSuper in the US App Store: $9.99 to $119.99, depending on the plan. | A free daily habit | Freepaid tier priced in-app | — | — | Free to keep using Full free tier with ads and limits; Super removes the ads and limits, and Max adds AI practice (Video Call and Roleplay). | 40 | Yes | No | Yes · Limited lessons available offline; progress syncs when connected | A1 to B2 | 1 week free trial on Super | |
| BusuuCourse app | Corrections from native speakers | $72.99 a year$6.08 a month, billed yearly | — | — | Free to keep using Free account with the complete course in each language, community feedback and basic progress tracking; Premium adds review tools, offline mode and no ads. | 14 | Yes | No · Live Lessons are exclusive to Busuu for Business, outside the consumer subscription | Yes | A1 to C1by course | 14-day money-back guarantee on the initial Premium payment; no renewal refunds. Apple and mobile-operator purchases require a refund from that provider. | |
| PromovaCourse app | Short lessons with AI speaking practice | $83.99 a year$7 a month, billed yearly | $19.99 | — | Free to keep using Courses are free if you watch an ad before each lesson; AI role-play is limited. | 12 | Yes | No | — | A1 to C1by course | A free trial for new subscribers. Refunds for website and Google Play purchases are asked for by email; App Store purchases go through Apple. | |
| StoryLearningCourse app | One long story per course, with video lessons on it | $297Uncovered Beginner course | — | $997 | Free trial No | 16 | — | StoryLearning VIP: a 10-week programme with two coaching sessions a week, sold apart from the courses. | Yes | A1 to C1by course | A 7-day free trial of each Uncovered course, then one payment with a 365-day money-back guarantee; bundles have 30 days. The StoryLearning App's page gives no trial or refund terms. | |
| HelloChineseCourse app | Mandarin from zero, with tones and characters | $69.99 a year$5.83 a month, billed yearly | $11.99 | — | Free sample Free to download, with free lessons to start; HelloChinese does not publish where the free part ends or what Premium and Premium+ each add. | 1 | Yes | — | Yes | — | Yearly plans bought on HelloChinese's website or through its customer service have a 30-day money-back guarantee; monthly plans are not refunded. Purchases in the iPhone or Android app are final with HelloChinese and follow Apple's or Google's rules. | |
| Mango LanguagesCourse app | Free through many public libraries | About $120 a year$10 a month, billed yearly | $13.99 | — | Free sample Free trial on both personal plans; the first lesson of any language is free; 10 endangered and indigenous language courses are free; free full access through participating public libraries | 73 | No | No | Yes | A1 to B1by course | Free trial on Individual and Family plans; cancel before it ends and you are not charged | |
| LingCourse app | Asian and less-taught languages | $149.99 a year$12.50 a month, billed yearly | $16.99 | — | Free to keep using Free tier with limited lessons and limited dialogue practice, with ads | 80 | Yes | Live online tutors, booked separately through Ling Live. | — | — | 7-day free trial on the 12-month plan; 30-day money-back refund for yearly and lifetime subscriptions bought via Ling web (app-store purchases follow Apple's or Google's refund policy) | |
| LingoDeerCourse app | Grammar-led lessons, with alphabet units for Japanese and Korean | $95.99 a year$8 a month, billed yearly | $14.99 | — | Free to keep using A free version with limited lessons; a membership unlocks every course and feature. | 20 | — | — | Yes | A1 to B1by course | A 7-day money-back guarantee on yearly and longer plans bought on LingoDeer's website, one request per person; no refund for part of a period or a renewal you forgot. | |
| BabbelCourse app | A structured course with grammar explained | $107.40 a year$8.95 a month, billed yearly | $17.99 | $299.99 | Free sample Free account; the first lesson of every course is free, and up to 80 free lessons depending on the language. | 14 | Yes | No · Babbel Live is no longer available to individual consumers | Yes · Downloaded lessons, vocabulary review and podcasts in the mobile app | A1 to C1 | Bought from Babbel in the US: no refund promised if you cancel early. Outside the US: 14 days to change your mind, less what you have used. App store purchases: the store's rules. | |
| Rocket LanguagesCourse app | Paying once per level, not a subscription | $99.95Rocket Sign Language | — | $449.85 | Free trial A free trial; the page does not say what it includes or for how long. | 13 | Yes | No | Yes · audio lessons download in the app; voice recognition needs a connection | A1 to B2by course | A free trial; 60-day money-back guarantee on purchases. | |
| MondlyCourse app | A cheap yearly plan across many languages | $47.99 a year$4 a month, billed yearly | $9.99one language | — | Free to keep using Free version with Daily Lessons, the Hello category and a chatbot lesson. | 41 | — | — | — | A1 to B2by course | 7-day free trial | |
| StudycatCourse app | Children from 3 who cannot read yet | $59.99 a year$5 a month, billed yearly | $14.99 | — | Free trial No | 5 | — | — | Yes | — | A 7-day free trial with no payment required to start; App Store purchases follow Apple's rules. | |
| DinolingoCourse app | Children from 2 to 14, in 50 languages | $199 a year$16.58 a month, billed yearly | $19 | — | Free trial No | 50 | — | — | — | — | A 7-day free trial; cancel before it ends and nothing is charged. | |
| Gus on the GoCourse app | A toddler's first words, bought once | $3.99Gus on the Go: Spanish | — | $3.99 | No | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Audio courses | ||||||||||||
| PimsleurAudio course | Audio lessons for a commute | $149.95 a year$12.50 a month, billed yearly | $19.95one language | $798 | No | 51 | Yes | — | Yes | — | 7-day free trial on subscriptions; 30 Day money back guarantee on purchases | |
| GlossikaAudio course | Sentence drills by ear | About $199 a year$16.58 a month, billed yearly | $19.99one language | — | Free trial 7-day full access with no credit card, plus a permanent Freemium tier covering nine minoritized languages | 63 | No | No | Yes | A1 to C1by course | 7-day free trial with no credit card; monthly payments are non-refundable, annual plans refundable pro rata within 60 days of purchase | |
| Language TransferAudio course | A free audio course that explains as it goes | Free | — | — | Free to keep using Every course free, with no adverts and no sign-up; it runs on donations. | 11 | No | No | Yes | — | Free; nothing to buy. | |
| Michel Thomas MethodAudio course | Speaking from the first hour, with no writing or homework | $11.99Start course | — | $273 | Free sample A free lesson and a free booklet for every course (sign-up needed, no card); the app that plays the courses is free. | 19 | — | No | Yes | — | A refund or exchange within 14 days of buying, if you have not finished the course; the Start course is not refunded if you then buy Foundation. | |
| Vocabulary and flashcard apps | ||||||||||||
| ClozemasterVocabulary and flashcards | Free vocabulary practice in context | $79.99 a year$6.67 a month, billed yearly | $12.99 | — | Free to keep using Free account with up to 30 sentences a day; Pro adds unlimited play and advanced features | 71 | — | — | Yes · on Pro, in the mobile app | — | 30-day money back guarantee on the Yearly plan; no refunds on Monthly plans | |
| uTalkVocabulary and flashcards | Phrases in 160 languages | From $24.99 a year$24.99 to $39.99 a year for one language, depending on the language | From $3.99depending on the language | — | Free sample Starter Words, a free 26-word pack in every language, plus an online demo at demo.utalk.com | 160 | No | No | Yes | A1 to A2by course | 28-day money-back guarantee | |
| SpeaklyVocabulary and flashcards | The most-used words first, practised in sentences you say | $47.99 a year$4 a month, billed yearly | $15.99 | — | Free trial Speakly says some features are free without saying which; a 7-day free trial opens the paid plans. | 11 | Yes | LIVE© course: eight 45-minute sessions a month with your own tutor, the app included, sold apart from the app plans. | No | — | A 7-day free trial. Bought on Speakly's website: 14 days to withdraw if you live in the EU, the EEA or the UK, and the Lifetime page promises a full refund if you email within 14 days. App Store and Google Play purchases go through Apple or Google. | |
| MemriseVocabulary and flashcards | Native-speaker clips and review | $61.99 a year$5.17 a month, billed yearly | $24.99 | $329.99 | Free to keep using Limited free version of the app; the paid plan unlocks the rest. | 149 | Yes | — | No · The current experience needs cloud-based tools | — | 30-day money-back guarantee; monthly plans have a 14-day refund window. Apple purchases require a refund from Apple. | |
| LingvistVocabulary and flashcards | Fast vocabulary with a placement test | $79.99 a year$6.67 a month, billed yearly | $9.99 | — | Free trial Free level placement before subscribing, and a 14-day free trial on the annual plan; the monthly plan has no trial | 16 | Yes | No | — | — | 14-day free trial on the annual plan; cancel before it ends and you are not charged | |
| DropsVocabulary and flashcards | Five-minute vocabulary sessions | $69.99 a year$5.83 a month, billed yearly | $11 | $150 | Free to keep using Free access capped at 5 minutes of play every 10 hours, with topics unlocked one at a time through gameplay | 55 | — | — | Yes | — | 7-day free trial on the Yearly plan; affiliate terms reference a 14-day refund period | |
| MosaLinguaVocabulary and flashcards | The most useful words first, on a review schedule | $71.88 a year$5.99 a month, billed yearly | $9.99 | — | Free trial Free download and a free trial; the full set of features needs a Premium subscription. | 11 | — | — | Yes | — | A free trial first, then a 30-day money-back guarantee on website and Android purchases; not on App Store purchases. | |
| SkritterVocabulary and flashcards | Writing Chinese and Japanese characters from memory | $99.99 a year$8.33 a month, billed yearly | $14.99 | — | Free to keep using A guest account keeps free access to selected decks for good; a subscription unlocks review mode and every deck. | 2 | — | — | — | — | A 7-day free trial, then a 30-day money-back guarantee on a first purchase made with Skritter; App Store and Google Play purchases follow Apple's and Google's rules. | |
| WaniKaniVocabulary and flashcards | Learning to read kanji, with mnemonics and reviews | $89 a year$7.42 a month, billed yearly | $9 | $299 | Free sample Levels 1 to 3 are free with no time limit (about 100 kanji and 200 vocabulary words); Level 4 and above need a paid plan. | 1 | — | — | No | — | No separate trial: levels 1 to 3 are free. You can ask for a refund for any reason within 60 days of a payment, on monthly, annual and lifetime plans. | |
| PlecoVocabulary and flashcards | Looking up any Chinese word, by drawing or camera | FreeBasic Bundle: $29.99 once | — | $59.99 | Free to keep using The dictionary is free for good, with two dictionaries, handwriting lookup, 500 stroke-order animations and no ads; the full flashcard system, camera lookup and the document reader are add-ons you buy once. | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| AnkiVocabulary and flashcards | Flashcards you control, free on a computer | FreeAnkiMobile (iPhone and iPad): $24.99 once | — | $24.99 | Free to keep using The computer version and AnkiDroid on Android are free, with free sync; only the iPhone app is paid. | — | No | No | Yes | — | Free on computers and Android; AnkiMobile is a one-time App Store purchase. | |
| Learning from real video, text and audio | ||||||||||||
| Language ReactorImmersion (video, reading) | Learning from Netflix and YouTube with two sets of subtitles | $39.95 a year$3.33 a month, billed yearly | $5.95 | — | Free to keep using The extension and website are free: dual subtitles (Netflix's own), pop-up dictionary, playback controls, YouTube and podcast catalogue, basic AI helper and chat with Aria; saving words is limited to PhrasePump. Pro adds machine translation, speech recognition on Netflix and saving everywhere. | 51 | Yes · You can speak to the Aria chat; Pro's 'speech recognition' also makes subtitles from Netflix audio. No pronunciation scoring is described. | — | — | — | A Pro free trial ends by returning you to free mode, with no charge; Pro is an auto-renewing subscription you can cancel after paying. No refund policy is published. | |
| BeelinguappImmersion (video, reading) | Reading and listening side by side with a translation | $49.90 a year$4.16 a month, billed yearly | $7.99 | — | Free to keep using Unlocked stories, news and songs with the glossary and flashcards, with ads; changing language needs Premium after the first 30 minutes. | 23 | Yes | No | Yes | — | Refunds on request by email within 14 days of a first purchase of a paid plan bought from Beelinguapp (not renewals); App Store and Google Play purchases are refunded by Apple or Google. | |
| LingopieImmersion (video, reading) | TV and film with interactive subtitles | $83.88 a year$6.99 a month, billed yearly | — | $229 | No | 15 | Yes · Say It pronunciation practice | Live group lessons on their own monthly or quarterly plan, for subscribers who pay by card; the first lesson is free. | Yes · iOS only; up to 10 downloadable videos | — | 7-day free trial; yearly subscription is charged after the trial and cannot be refunded | |
| LingQImmersion (video, reading) | Reading and listening to real content | $119.99 a year$10 a month, billed yearly | $14.99 | — | Free to keep using Free account capped at 20 saved words and phrases, 5 lessons created from imported content, and 1 audio playlist | 52 | — | — | Yes | — | Full refund during the first 30 days of an initial Premium subscription; no partial-month or unused-month refunds afterward. | |
| ReadleImmersion (video, reading) | Graded news stories with native audio | $69.99 a year$5.83 a month, billed yearly | $14.99 | $249.99 | Free to keep using A rotating selection of free stories; reading all the stories needs a paid plan. A 7-day free trial opens the whole app. | 7 | — | — | — | — | A 7-day free trial. Bought on Readle's website: a refund if you ask within 14 days of your first subscription payment, and 30 days' money back on Lifetime. App Store and Google Play purchases go through Apple or Google. | |
| YablaImmersion (video, reading) | Listening practice with real videos and subtitles you can slow down | $99.95 a year$8.33 a month, billed yearly | $12.95 | — | Free sample No free plan, but some videos (with their games) and the written lessons are free without an account; a 7-day free trial for new users. | 6 | Yes · The Speak game rates each word you repeat (good / passable). The Chinese site lists a Pinyin Chart and Tone Pair exercises instead of Speak. | Yabla Live (Spanish only): unlimited small-group classes in Silver, plus 2 (Gold) or 4 (Platinum) private one-on-one classes a month | — | A1 to C1by course | A 7-day free trial. Yabla's terms refund a subscription cancelled in its first 7 days, once a year; its FAQ says 14 days if you did not start with a trial. | |
| FluentUImmersion (video, reading) | Learning from real videos | $239.99 a year$20 a month, billed yearly | $29.99 | — | No | 10 | Yes | Group classes in some languages, offered free with the subscription for a limited time; no one-to-one lessons. | Yes · audio, quizzes and transcripts download; the videos stream only | — | 14-day free trial with no payment up front, plus a 20-day money-back guarantee | |
| Du ChineseImmersion (video, reading) | Chinese stories at your level, read aloud | $119.99 a year$10 a month, billed yearly | $14.99 | — | Free to keep using A selection of free lessons at every level; Premium opens all 3,000+ articles, stories and courses, offline study and an audiobook mode. | 1 | — | — | Yes | — | A subscription started on Du Chinese's website is refunded in full if you ask within 15 days; App Store purchases cannot be refunded by Du Chinese. | |
| Dreaming SpanishImmersion (video, reading) | Learning by watching, from day one | FreePremium is priced by region | — | — | Free to keep using Library access Free videos at every level, with search, difficulty sorting and progress tracking; Premium adds the larger library. | 2 | No | No | Yes | — | Free plan with no time limit; Premium is monthly, with no yearly or family plan. | |
| AI conversation practice | ||||||||||||
| JumpspeakAI conversation practice | Speaking aloud with AI from the first lesson | $79 a year$6.58 a month, billed yearly | — | $269 | Free sample Free users can sample some lessons at each level, switch languages and have a limited number of AI Tutor conversations. | 22 | Yes | Live Tutoring through Rype (one-on-one sessions with human tutors), sold separately from Premium | No | — | Premium bought on Jumpspeak's website: a 100-day money-back guarantee (30 days for Premium AI and family plans). App Store and Google Play purchases go through Apple or Google. | |
| SpeakAI conversation practice | Speaking practice with AI | $83.99 a year$7 a month, billed yearly | $17.99 | — | Free trial 7-day free trial; no permanently free tier is published | 6 | Yes | No | — | — | 7-day free trial; refunds for App Store and Google Play purchases go through Apple or Google, and website purchases through Speak support | |
| TalkpalAI conversation practice | AI conversation practice in many languages | $119.99 a year$10 a month, billed yearly | $19.99 | — | Free to keep using The Basic plan: 10 minutes of chat a day, with progress tracking and pronunciation checks. | 130 | Yes | No | No | — | A 14-day free trial for new users. Bought from Talkpal directly: a full refund if you ask within 30 days of a charge; not for app store purchases. | |
| LanguaAI conversation practice | Natural-sounding AI conversation practice | $149.99 a year$12.50 a month, billed yearly | $19.99 | — | Free to keep using A free version with low limits: 3 minutes of calls a day and about 20 chat messages a week. | 23 | Yes | Human tutors on LanguaTalk, booked separately from Langua; each tutor sets a price per lesson. | — | — | A Pro trial (5 days on a monthly plan, 7 on a yearly one; card needed), and a 30-day money-back guarantee on web and Google Play subscriptions; App Store ones follow Apple's rules. | |
| PraktikaAI conversation practice | Talking with an AI avatar tutor | $9.99 a monthPraktika Premium, 1 month | $9.99 | — | Free to keep using Free to download and use: 3 AI avatars, limited speaking practice, basic feedback. | 14 | Yes | No | — | — | A refund if you ask within 48 hours of a charge, Praktika's help centre says; its terms otherwise make fees non-refundable. | |
| ELSA SpeakAI conversation practice | English pronunciation, scored sound by sound | $89.99 a year$7.50 a month, billed yearly | $19.99 | — | Free sample Free version: the Welcome planet and the first 2 lessons of every topic, plus a 7-day trial of every lesson without a card. | 1 | Yes | No | No | — | A 7-day free trial with no card. Bought on ELSA's website: a refund if you ask within 7 days; App Store and Google Play purchases go through Apple or Google. | |
| UniverbalAI conversation practice | Conversations about your own situations, each message corrected | $119.99 a year$10 a month, billed yearly | $19.99 | — | Free trial Signing up is free and every new account gets 3 days to try Univerbal; after that Univerbal doesn't say what stays free. Unlimited conversations need a Univerbal Pass. | 22 | Yes | No | — | — | A 7-day free trial on every pass, after 3 free days on a new account. Refunds follow Apple's or Google's rules; Univerbal says it will usually send a refund request to the store. | |
| Tutors and live classes | ||||||||||||
| italkiTutor marketplace | Tutors priced per lesson | $4 to $10a typical 30-minute lesson, set by each teacher | — | — | No | 104 | — | Every lesson is live and one to one; italki also sells group classes. | — | — | Discounted trial lesson with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee: up to two credit refunds on trial lessons if the teacher did not show up or did not meet expectations, requested within 48 hours | |
| CamblyTutor marketplace | English conversation with a tutor | $144 a year$12 a month, billed yearly | $24 | — | No | 1 | — | Every lesson is live: one to one, or in a small group on the cheaper plans. | — | — | $1 trial lesson; 7-day money-back guarantee on a first plan; after that, cancel any time and pay only for days used, with long-term discounts forfeited on early cancellation | |
| LingodaTutor marketplace | Live classes by CEFR level | €54.99Group classes, 4 classes · priced in euros | — | — | — | 6 | — | Every class is live: in a group of 3 to 5 students, or private. | — | A1 to C1by course | Free 7-day trial | |
| PreplyTutor marketplace | Weekly lessons with one tutor | $3 to $50a lesson | — | — | No | 90 | — | Every lesson is live and one to one. | — | — | Paid trial lesson; up to 2 free trial replacements per account (a new trial with a different tutor at no charge) if the trial did not meet expectations; a tutor who did not join is handled separately, with no limit | |
| Language exchange | ||||||||||||
| TandemLanguage exchange | Language exchange with native speakers | $39.99 a year$3.33 a month, billed yearly | — | — | Free to keep using Free account with many features; Tandem Pro unlocks the rest | 300 | No | No | — | — | Google Play purchases refundable within 14 days of a 1-month subscription or 30 days of a 3-month or 12-month subscription; iOS refunds requested from iTunes within 14 days | |
| HelloTalkLanguage exchange | Chatting with native speakers | $79.99 a year$6.67 a month, billed yearly | $12.99 | — | Free to keep using Free account with ads and daily limits (for example ten translations a day); occasional randomly offered 3-day VIP trials | 260 | — | No | Yes | — | Occasional randomly offered 3-day free VIP trial; refunds handled by Apple or Google for in-app purchases | |
Which to choose
You want the grammar explained, not guessed
Babbel or Busuu
Babbel builds 10 to 15-minute lessons on short dialogues and explains the grammar in English, for $107.40 a year. Busuu labels its courses by CEFR level and adds corrections from native speakers; its free account has the complete course, and Premium is $72.99 a year.
You like Rosetta Stone's method but not its price
Busuu, or Duolingo free
The nearest everyday courses cost less: Busuu's free account has its whole course, and Duolingo gives every course free with ads. Mango Languages is free through many public libraries.
You want to speak sooner
Pimsleur, or Speak
Pimsleur's 30-minute audio lessons have you answer aloud from the first day, with a 7-day free trial; a year is $149.95 a year. Speak is conversation practice with an AI tutor that corrects what you said, for $83.99 a year.
You would rather pay once
Rocket Languages or Michel Thomas
Rocket Languages sells each level once ($149.95 once), and Michel Thomas's audio courses are bought once too, from $11.99. Babbel's Lifetime plan is one payment for all its languages.
Questions people ask
What is the best alternative to Rosetta Stone?
It depends on why you are leaving. For grammar explained in English, Babbel or Busuu; for a lower price, Busuu's free account or Duolingo; to speak sooner, Pimsleur; to talk to a person, Preply or italki; to pay once, Rocket Languages. The table shows every other app with its price and features.
Is Babbel better than Rosetta Stone?
They teach differently: Babbel explains the grammar in English inside short dialogues, and Rosetta Stone uses pictures and audio with no translation and scores your pronunciation. Babbel's year costs less. The full comparison is on the Babbel vs Rosetta Stone page.
Is there a free alternative to Rosetta Stone?
Duolingo gives every course free with ads, Busuu's free account has its complete course in 14 languages, and Mango Languages is free through many public libraries. Rosetta Stone itself has a one-time 7-day free trial in its app.